Umbrella or parasol



(No Model.)

0. S. STOKES. UMBRELLA OR PARABOL- N 0. 571,91 1 Patented N (W. 24, 1896.

WITNESSES.

ATIOR/VEY.

UNITED STATES CHARLES STANLEY STOKES,

. PATENT OFFICE.

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

UMBRELLA OR PARASOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,911, dated November 24, 1896.

Application filed. May 19, 1896.

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES STANLEY STOKES, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to catch devices for umbrellas, whereby the frame may be securely held in the closed or open position, and enabling the same to be operated with facility, the main feature of my invention being itssimple and inexpensive construction.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a side View of a portion of an umbrella-stick, showing the runner supporting the catch, which is in the locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but showing the catch open. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the catch-support.

In said figures, 1 indicates an umbrellastick, and 2 a runner or sleeve having an annular brace-connecting device at one end. Said sleeve 2 has the ears 3, which project upwardly in substantially parallel lines, and which are formed by making an incision in the material of the sleeve and bending upwardly the portion thus liberated. The edges 8 formed in the runner by the incisions which liberate the ears 3 form openings in which the thumb and finger of the operator are inserted to slide the runner upon the stick, and said edges provide a frictional'surface which enables a substantial grip or purchase to be obtained, whereby the operation of opening and closing the umbrella is greatly facilitated. A pin 7 bearing a spring, connects the ears 3, being secured thereto, and upon said pin7 is pivotally mounted a catch-lever 4, having a hook-shaped engaging portion with flaring end 6, which is arranged to pass through an aperture in the sleeve and to enter hole or recess 5 in the stick.

The tension of the spring causes the engaging end 6 to be normally depressed, and thus said end, which has a flat smooth surface,

Serial No. 592,229. (No model.)

runs alon g the stick with themovement of the sleeve until the hole or recess 5 is reached, which it enters. Iprefer to employ a hollow metallic stick, as the flared end 6 of the catchlever, when passed into hole 5,wi1l bind again st the edge of the hole and thus not be liable to become accidentally displaced. To release the catch, the lever is pressed upon, as indicated in the drawings, by the finger. (Shown in dotted lines.)

The catch-lever 4 lies snugly along the runner, in parallelism therewith, and the extent of its lateral projection therefrom is approximately coincident with the edge of the bracesupporting annulus. Thus the said catch-lever forms no objectionable projection to prevent the neat folding of the umbrella-cover.

I am aware that it is not new to the art to employ catch-levers for operating runners, and I do not claim such broadly as my invention, but

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an umbrella, in combination, a hollow stick having a hole therein near each end,- a sleeve or runner slidable upon said stick, a braceengaging annulus upon said sleeve or runner, ears 3 upon said runner struck up from the body of the runnerforming bearings for the catch-lever and thereby providing an opening 8 upon each side of the run-* in the sleeve or runner in the path of said lever end, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

CHARLES STANLEY STOKES. V

\Vitnesses:

B. T. VETTERLEIN, THOMAS C. SHANNON. 

